Posted on 01/26/2005 10:30:20 AM PST by ejdrapes
DAVOS, Switzerland - French President Jacques Chirac called on the world's richest nations Wednesday to provide billions of dollars in aid for poor countries through new taxes and other measures that would help combat AIDS, poverty and natural disasters. He said the tsunami that struck Asian coastlines last month — possibly killing up to 300,000 people — should trigger not only aid to that region but a broader coordinated drive by developed nations to reach out to the Third World. "The world suffers chronically from what has been strikingly called the 'silent tsunamis.' Famine. Infectious diseases that decimate the life force of entire continents," Chirac said in a video message from Paris to the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. The annual meeting, in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, has taken on increased importance in recent years as globalization and common threats — from terrorism to increased vulnerability to natural disasters — have made the world's nations and governments more dependent on each other. Chirac alluded to such interdependence, saying that natural disasters, political unrest, uncontrolled migration and extremism are "breeding grounds for terrorism" — suggesting developed nations had a stake in resolving the problem. The French leader outlined a number of steps to raise billions of dollars through taxes on international financial transactions, plane tickets or fuel used by airliners and oceangoing vessels. He also proposed that countries with bank secrecy laws make a special contribution to Third World aid and that developed nations provide "coordinated tax incentives" to stimulate private donations. Chirac asked that the world's eight leading developed nations debate his plan at a G-8 summit in July in Scotland that will be hosted by British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He did not spell out an amount of money that would be generated, but gave several examples. A tax on international financial transactions — which the United States strongly opposes — would raise $10 billion a year, while a $1 tax on every plane ticket sold worldwide would raise "at least $3 billion" a year without causing the aviation industry much harm, Chirac said. Bad weather prevented Chirac from attending. Blair was to deliver an address later Wednesday at the gathering of the world's elite. Some 2,500 corporate, political and other leaders who spend five days debating an array of issues from AIDS to U.S. leadership, from Europe's anemic growth to China's phenomenal expansion. In over 200 workshops and debates, the Davos participants focus on "tough choices." One example is China, whose economic transformation is redrafting the world order and whose phenomenal growth has already triggered higher oil prices — which, in turn, sharpens the global climate change debate. China's growth will help spur "global demand for energy ... by 60 percent by 2030," said N.R. Narayana Murthy, chairman of Infosys Technologies of India. "There is no stopping this giant," said Takatoshi Ito of the University of Tokyo. China's economy grew at an annual rate of 9.5 percent in 2004, and many expect the 2005 figure to surpass that. He also said that China accounted for a staggering proportion of the world's consumption of some materials. "Last year, China consumed 25 to 30 percent of most major industrial materials, especially metals," said Stephen S. Roach, chief economist for Morgan Stanley USA. China was responsible for 43 percent of the world's consumption of concrete, he added. Conference attendees also focused on Europe's lackluster economic performance, the seemingly improved chances for peace in the Middle East, the future of U.S. global leadership, the fate of world trade talks, what to do with weapons of mass destruction and combatting poverty. "The three richest people in the world own more than the gross domestic product of 40 of the world's poorest nations," said Daniel Vasella, chief executive of Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis AG. Former Australian foreign minister Gareth Evans, who now heads the International Crisis Group, said 2005 was a pivotal year considering the pending world trade talks, a September summit of world leaders on global security issues and the need to meet U.N. development goals including halving global poverty by 2015. "If we don't understand the significance of 2005, we're just missing a really fundamental point," he said. "This is a make or break year." The administration of President Bush also has a crucial role, participants said. The United States "produces 30 percent of the world's goods and buys $600 billion in products from developing nations," said John A. Thain, chief executive of the New York Stock Exchange. "The U.S. leadership role in the global economy is an important one." Americans were also criticized, however, for borrowing a lot and saving little — suggesting excessive consumption. Stephen S. Roach, chief economist for Morgan Stanley USA, called U.S. consumers self-indulgent — terming them "an accident waiting to happen." Chirac Urges Taxes to Help World's Poor
How do we get clean drinking water here in the United States?
Well here's a thought, maybe the Africans could do soething about fixing up their own water. From time to time people have to do something for themselves however people get the leadership that they deserve.
Correction. If the French calculated their GDP the same way that we do France's GDP would be -.8% or worse.
i was just trying to be nice.........haha.....I knew it was bad, just not how bad
This is the exact same idiotic plan the UN has been pushing for, and guess who wants to be the big parisitic boss who controls the money? Of course Chirac is going to sing the same tune as his fellow UN thieves, He's part of the same crowd.
Since China's economy is do so well, and they don't have to pay UN koyoto accord blood money, Tax China to feed the poor!.... Better yet,how about they feed their own poor!
Plus their are the Jihadist "poor". The "victims". Go ahead DHIMMI, pay the Infidel tax willingly. Bin Laden must be sitting in his cave Laughing his @ss off reading how Chirac and his Islamic UN counterparts are establishing the dhimmi tax on you poor dumb infidels.
This after we have paid close to a billion to help the tsunami victims. All voluntary.
Let me guess, he or his cronies, the corrupt U.N., etc. will control it.
I don't think so!!!!
America's drinking water is the result of generations of investment labor and sacrifice. Africa has never made any such effort. Any effor made is seen as an opportunity for graft and corruption by the leaders the Africans have hobbled themselves with.
Bingo.
How do we get clean drinking water here in the United States?"
Because you have the resources.
So are these people lazy then?
What resources do they lack?
LOL! My thoughts exactly......
Somehow we not only have clean drinking water, but sanitation, electricity, roads, schools, churches, grocery stores...etc.
There is a pervasive view on the left that this is a zero sum game and that other countries can't provide for themselves unless we give up some of our wealth. That's just bologna.
I bet the millions she has will go a long way to help the world.
I say she donate *all* of her wealth to her cause.
Sure. We can call it "Taxes for Food."
So when was Chirac appointed Grand Exalted Leader of The Entire World and Known Universe? To tell the "world" to raise taxes! Damn, and they talk about Bush's "HUBRIS"?!!!
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